Good Morning Gorgeous,

It’s a brand new day. A fresh start. A new day to lean into what Jesus has made available to us.

He has promised to supply everything we need. He has promised to be our strength when we are weak. He has promised to walk with us through every darkness even the darkest valleys. He has promised to never leave us or forsake us. He has promised to equip and empower us to walk in victory over everything that comes against us. He has promised to give us an abundant life.

And the good news is He delivers on His promises time and time again. These are not just feel good phrases. These are solid, scripture backed promises given by the Creator and Risen King of the whole Universe! If you believe in Him, and you call on Him, He will answer.

When you pray remember you are praying to the One who hung every star, fashioned and formed the universe, caused dry land to appear, and order to come into the earth. He comes into chaos and brings order and peace. He can bring peace into your heart, your mind, your home, and any situation that you find yourself face to face with.When the giants are loud in your ear, even the whisper of the promises of Jesus can begin to change the atmosphere.

On Thursday, one of my 5 year old twins broke his elbow. He was climbing a tree, not even a super tall tree, when he climbed onto a weak branch and fell on his back and arm. I took one look at his arm and knew it was broken. We headed for Golisano Children’s Hospital for xrays. I had in my head an order of events that I thought were going to happen. I imagined that they would xray his arm, and have us follow up the next day with pediatric orthopedics for a cast. I wasn’t prepared to hear the ER doctor say that we were being admitted for the night, and I also wasn’t prepared to hear that he would have elbow surgery the next morning. The doctor assured me that it was a simple surgery, but that if we went home Bentley could injure his elbow further.

Initially, I didn’t take the news well. I started crying and immediately began to make a mental list of all of the things this was going to impact. How would the rest of the kids handle it? How will I get the things we would need from home? Is this really happening? I was trying to comfort Bentley and pull myself together all at the same time. I didn’t have the strength alone, and I felt weak. Honestly, I felt far from Jesus too.

Many days Jesus feels so close, and others when life gets busy and I get overwhelmed, He feels far away and out of reach. But the truth is He is right there in all seasons.

We spent the night in room 6121(that’s a story all its own!) , and the next morning Bentley was prepped for surgery first thing. I was able to stay with him up until the moment he was wheeled into the operating room, but because of the coronavirus, no one else could be with us. He was a true champion.

He pushed through his sensory struggles and let them give him an IV. He took the liquid pain meds. He talked to the doctors. He was even making jokes and giving them all funny names. We prayed together and I told him that I loved him, and about 930am, my little man was being wheeled back into the hands of a very capable orthopedic doctor.

I felt just about every emotion a momma could feel, but what I was missing was feeling a closeness to Jesus. It had all happened so quickly, and Bentley and I had been through such a roller coaster that I barely had a moment to just talk to Jesus. Earlier that morning I told Jesus, “I feel so far from you. Draw me close.” And that was the extent of our prayer time together apart from my prayers for and with Bentley.

So now Bentley was wheeled to surgery, and I was being ushered to an empty waiting room. I hadn’t had anything to eat or drink since the night before. My day always begins with a cup of coffee, and I take my coffee one way every time: just milk.

I walked into the waiting room feeling a million miles from Jesus. I knew He was holding Bentley. I knew He was holding me, but in the midst of it all, I couldn’t FEEL Him.

As I entered the empty room, the receptionist said, “Good Morning. I just made coffee, but we don’t have creamer. I put a carton of milk there that came with my breakfast.” I immediately FELT Jesus. It was a cup of coffee poured for me by the Lord Himself. The whole milk sitting next to the coffee pot was like a love letter from Jesus saying, “Even when you can’t feel it, I’m here. I have your every need at heart. I am your provider, and I care about the details of your life. I am HERE, right here. ”

The tears fell. I sat down, drank my coffee in a small styrofoam cup, and Jesus was right there. Of course, He was there all along even when I couldn’t feel Him.

And that’s my encouragement for you today. Whether you feel Him or not, He is with you. His care for you is not dependent on your feelings. He is with you even to the end of the age. He is for you. He has good plans for you. And just as He provides for the birds and the wildflowers, He will provide even MORE abundantly for your every single need.

We serve a God who is in the details. Every detail is in His Hands. He is holding you. He has every detail handled. He has you. In the moments when you can’t feel Him, it’s okay to tell Him. You can be real with a real God.

You can be honest and say, “I trust You, but I need to feel You. I miss You. I feel far from You.”

Friends, He will respond to the heartfelt prayers of His children.

Dear Heavenly Father,

We trust that You have us in Your Arms. Help us to be courageous enough to tell You what we need and what we feel. Help us to receive the care and provision that You are offering. In Jesus’s name. AMEN.

And here’s a pic of Bentley after surgery. He got a Spiderman colored cast at his request! He came home and has been running at full speed. 🙂 We are well and God IS Gooooood!